Radiator valve



June l2, 1928. 1,673,648

A. S. SVENSON RADIATOR VALVE Filed May 25, 1927 WITNESSES n BY /f @fw 2f M' www 4 ATTORNEY Patented J une 12, 1928.

'PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT S. SVENSON, OF CLIFTON, NEW'J'ERSEY.

l RADIATOR VALVE.

Application .filed May 25,

This invention relates to valves and has particular reference to a valve for automatically permitting the exhaust of air from steam radiators by virtue of the steam pressure entering the radiator.

In practically all radiator valves which are now in general use and on the market, a float controlled needle valve is provided, which needle valvecoacts with an extremely smallnair vent or outlet. It has been found in actual practice that the restricted size of the air vent or outlet builds up or creates -a pressure which tends to lift any water of condensation which remains in the radiator, into the valve casing and raise the float, resulting in the closing of the outlet or-air vent by the needle valve. 1n many cases the valve will close when approximately onlyl half of the radiator has been heated, while the remaining sections will fail to receive the steam until the needle valve is again opened to permit of the venting of the air within the valve casing to the atmosphere. Vhile valves constructed essentially as heretofore set forth may eventually allow for the complete flow of steam to all of the coils, it is nevertheless apparent that an unnecessary length of time is consumed in heating the entire radiator.

`The present invention contemplates an improved radiator valve structure which overcomes the above-recited objects and defects by providing an air vent oroutlet of greater size than any other valve'of which I am aware, so that a rapid and complete venting of the air from the radiator is effected and this without permittin of the escape or discharge of water of con ensation which may have collected in the radiator, thus permitting the radiator to become heated in a minimum period of time.

The invention furthermore comprehends a valve having an air vent closing` means which is positive and which functions to close the air vent or outlet before steam can escape through the vent, said means being thermostatically controlled or actuated by the heat of steam entering the valve. I

As a further object the valve includes means for checking or preventing the ingress of air from the exterior while due to the relatively large air vent the valve is rendered noiseless in operation.

Other objects reside in the comparative simplicity of construction, the economy with 1927. Serial N0. 134,157.

which the same may be produced, and the general efficiency derived therefrom.

With the labove recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings in whichl there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, while the appended claims define the actual scope of the invention.

In the drawings- Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a valve constructed in accordance with the invention and'illustrating the position of parts when air is being vented or expelled from the valve;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof with parts of the outer shell or casing broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the air venting means of the valve closed against the egress of steam;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken approximately on the line 5 5v of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 10 designates the base, which is preferably in the nature of a brass casting having a tapered exteriorly threaded stem or nipple 11 adapted to be screwed into the end coil of a radiator in the usual manner. The base 10 is provided with an upstanding internally threaded annular wall 12 and is provided with an internal boss 13 preferably disposed diametrically opposite the stem 11, the said boss having` a passage 14, the upper end of which terminates in an enlarged internally threaded terminal 15 which extends vertically through the upper portion of the boss 13. The lower end 16 of the passage 14 is directed outwardly and horizontally through the exterior wall of the base 10 and said end is flared to provide a valve seat 17 for a gravity check valve 18 which is fulcrumed or suspended for swinging movement by means of a stem 19 pivoted at 20. Preferably the base 10 is provided with an outwardly projecting boss 21 which serves to house and protect the check valve 18. A vent tube 22 is threaded at its lower end into the upper enlarged internally threaded terminal 15 of the passage 14 and the upper end or terminal 23 is reversely bent, curved or goosenecked to provide a downwardlydirected intake end 21'which is outwardly flared to provide a valve seat. A valve element preferably in the nature ot' a ball or sphere 25 is positioned within a support such as a cage 26, in which support or cage the valve element is normally permitted to gravitate to an unseated or opened relation to the downwardly directed flared end 24 of the vent tube. In order to provide means for elevating and moving the valve element 25 into seated or closed relation with the end 24, an arm 27 is provided which is fulcrumed or journaled in any suitable manner,

^ preferably by a bearing clip 28, which is attached to the vent tube 22. The arm 27 is preferably of resilient material, such as spring wire.` and is provided intermediate its terminal and journal or bearing with a coiled portion 29 to further increase the resiliencx7 ofthe same. The journaled portion is provided with a radially projecting finger 3() which is connected with a heat-responsive bar or thermostat 31, the lower end ot which is .suitably supported and held against movementin any desired manner such as oy a supporting clip 32 also carried by the vent tube 22. By way of illustration, the arm 27 is preferably journaled or t'ulcrumed by extending a laterally bent portion 33 through bearing openings 31 inthe clip 28. The clip preferably includes a splitannular body 35 having outwardly projecting ears 3G, through which'a screw 37 is engaged` the screw also attaching a right-angle arm 38 to thc clip, which right-angle arm has connected therewith the lower end of the heat-responsive bar or thermostat 31. A hood or casing 39 having an open externally threaded lower end vis threadcdly engaged in the. upstanding` internally threaded annular wall 12 of the base 10 and may be suitably sealed at this point.

In use and'operation, when the radiator steam valve of the system is opened to the radiator, the steam entering the coils of the radiator will exert a pressure upon the air in the radiator' and will force the same through the nipple 11 into the chamber defined by the base and the valve hood or casing 39. In view of the fact that the heatresponsive bar or thermostat 31 is cool, the arm 27 will be in the lowered posit-ion illustratcd in Fig. 1, and the valve element will consequently be lowered so that the downwardly directed intake end of the vent tube 22 will be opened permitting the air in the radiator to be forced outwardly through the vent tube and vent passage 14 through the outlet end 16, thus opening the outwardly opening check valve 18. Due to the disposition of the valve element 25 immediately below the downwardly directed intake end .-24 of the vent tube, it is obvious that any water which may be sprayed upwardly by the pressure will be diverted and prevented from enteringthe vent tube and finding its way out through the outlet. It is also obvious that due to the large size of the vent, the air Will be rapidly expelled so that the steam may rapidly enter all of the coils of the radiator. lVhen the steam and the heat incident thereto reaches the chamber defined by the valve casing, it is obvious that immediately the thermostat or heat-responsive bar 31 will act upon the finger 30 of the arm 27 to swing the arm 27 in a direction to elevate or lift the valve element 25 into seated relation with the flared downwardly directed intake end of the vent tube, thereby preventing escape of the steam and trapping the steam. If the heat of the steam within the valve tends to exert a force inexcess to that required to seat the valve element 25, the resilient or springy nature of the arm 27 together with the coiled portion 29, will permit further swinging movement of the finger to relieve the thermostat or heat-responsive bar 31 of any tendency to warp or dis` tort the same so as to have any detrimental effect upon the thermostat. It is also obvious that immediately upon closing of the vent tube 22 by the valve element 25, the weight of the check valve 18 will swing the same to a closed condition preventing the ingress of air. It should be further noted that due to the large vent opening, the valve will be practically noiseless in operation while the valve element 25 being of a spherical formation and mounted to roll in the cage or support 26 willl never seat at approximately the same point in the flared seat 24 thereby preventing uneven Wear upon this element.

What is claimed is: Y

l. A steam radiator air exhaust valve including a valve casing having at its lower end a radiator engaging nipple which establishes communication with the radiator, a vent conduit having an intake end adjacent the upper portion of the valve casing, and an outlet end adjacent the lower portion of the valve casing, heat-responsive means for closing the intake end of the vent conduit, and a normally closed, inwardly, closing, outwardly opening check valve at the outlet end of the vent conduit.

2. A steam-radiator air exhaust valve including a valve casing having at its lower end a radiator engaging nipple which establishes communication with the radiator, and a vent conduit having a downwardly directed intake end adjacent the upper portion of the valve casing and an outlet end adjacent the lower portion of the valve casing, said latter outlet end having a normally closed, inwardly closing, outwardly opening check valve.

3. A steam radiator air exhaust valve including a valve casing having at its lower end a radiator engaging nipple which establishes communication with the radiator, a vent conduit having a downwardly directed intake end adjacent the upper portion of the valve casing and an outlet end adjacent the lower portion of the valve casing, said latter outlet end having a normally closed, inwardly closing, outwardly opening check valve, and heat-responsive means for closing the downwardly directed intake end of the vent conduit.

4. A steam radiator air exhaust valve including a valve casing having at its lower end a radiator engaging nipple which establishes communication with the radiator, a vent conduit having a downwardly directed intake end adjacent the upper portion of the valve casing and an outlet end adjacent the lower portion of the valve casing, said latter outlet end having a normally closed, inwardly closing', outwardly opening check valve, and heat-responsive means operable by the heat of the steam received within the valve casing from the radiator, for closing the downwardly directed intake end ot the vent conduit.

5. An air exhaust valve for steam radiators including a casing having at its lower end a radiator engaging nipple and an air vent passage at the lower end spaced from the nipple, a vent tube extending upwardly from the vent passage, said tube having a downturned upper end presenting a downwardly directed air vent inlet end, a heat responsive means Afor closing the air vent inlet end of the vent tube, and an inwardly closing, outwardly opening, normally closed check valve at the outlet end of the air vent passage.

6. A steam radiator air exhaust valve including a valve casing having at its lower end a radiator engaging nipple establishing communication between the radiator and the interior of the valve casing, an internal boss circuinferentially spaced from the nipple and having a vent passage having a vertically disposed upper end and a horizontally disposed outer end extending outwardly through the valve casing, an upstanding vent tube connected with the upper end of the passage, said vent tube having its upper end reversely bent to provide a downwardly directed intake, a spherical valve element supported from the downwardly directed inlet end of the vent tube normally unseated therefrom gravitationally, and heat-responsive means for elevating and seating the valve element, said heat-responsive means being operable by the heat of the steam received by the valve casing from the radiator, the outlet end of the vent passage being closed by a normally closed, outwardly opening, inwardly closing check valve.

T. A steam radiator exhaust valve including a valve casing communicating with the radiator; a vent conduit having an intake end within the valve casing and an outlet end communicating with the outside atmos phare, heat responsive means for closing the intake end of the vent conduit, and an inwardly closing outwardly opening check valve. at the outlet end of the conduit.

ALBERT S. SVENSON. 

